Automatic die



March 12, 1929. J HARTNESS 1,704,741

AUTOMATIC DIE Filed Jan. 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Illa- J? {ff'u 2w U 76 44 March 12, 1929.

J. HARTN ESS AUTOMATIC DE[E Filed Jan. 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

J'AMES HARTNESS, OF SPRINGFIELD,- VERIviONT.

AUTOMATIC DIE.

Application filed January 19, 192%. Serial No. 687,376.

invention has for its object to produce a' die of the ordinary type, wlnch may be automatically opened and-closed, which" compact in construction and accurate in 6 operation and which will possess certain other features of advantage to -which reference will. subsequently be made.

Referring'to the drawings, Figure lrepresents in end elevation a die embodying the invention;

Figure 2 represents a side elevation-of the same.

Figure 3 represents alongitudinal sectionon the line 3-3 of Figure- 1 with the Chasers 7-7 of FlQHiE ff I Figure 8 represents a longitudinal section on the line 8-8of Figure l.

Figure19'represents a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Bu n-re 11 representsone of the locking whose purpose is ultimately to hold-the chaser-"s either in/an: activeor an inacti-ve' which is illustrated by the figures of the drawings thus briefiy' reterred to, I'desne' to have-it understood that this instrumem' tality is but one embodiment of the invent o whicl'i however is capabie of various embodiments Without departing from spiritand scope of the appended claims.

Proceeding-now to a detailed description- 3 the particular die which is illustrated onl igure 6 represents a similar" section "with Figure 7 represents a sectioi-r on the line liigrure 10 represents the'bedy'of the die.-

ire 13 represents one of the removable This-body is hollow" and is generally of the shape shown in Figi'irelO. At its rear end it: is provided with an internally threaded flange'21, into which is screwed a tubular bar 22'whichwervesas a supporting member for the die and by which the die may be mounted in any'cenvenient holder. At its front end the body isprovided withtwo segmental members23, 23 having inner parallelfaces which are grooved at'2s'. These segmental members form guideways for the chaser carriers of which there are two in number as indicated at 25$ The outer" faces of the members are arcua-te and are concentric with the axis of the body. The two chaser carriers 25, of which one is shown in Figure 12, are placedbetweenthe opposing faces of the segments '23and are movable toward and from each other. Each of-thesecarriers is in the formiofa block having grooves 26 in its side faces: A- guide bar 27 is introducedinto eaehof the grooves 24' segments 23-ancl enters'a complemem' in the tal groove 26 1n eaclr of the two carriers 25, so as toaccurately'guide'the' carriers in their movement toward andfr'om-eachother' and prevent any'loose movement. The "faces of the carriers-engage the inner faces ofthe' segments, the guidebars 27 serving to hold carriers against" movement axially of the body. Each carrier is provided with a sector-shaped"recess formed by an arcuate inner face 23'a'nd two radialfac'es 29, 29' the recess bein'gxfurther' formed by the flaringwal'ls orfaces 30. These recesses are so formed as to receive chasersof which a plo rality may be provided: In the particular die which I h'ave'selectedfor illustration and descriptiom there are four-0f these chasers as indicated at'31, two eliasers being secured to eachmtthe carriers. E'a'ch chaser consists of an elongated bar having a convexly curved outer or top face 33"and a concave toothed inn or lOOtlJOIIldhlCO 34. The sides of each chaser converge mm the outer face to-the inner face as indicated at 35, 35 In end view each chaser present-s somewhat'th'e appearance of a keystone. so formed as to be introduced into the'seg mental or sector-shaped recess of one ofthe carriers, their outer faces 33 conformingto the curvatures of the faces 28 and their farthest sides being radial and thus adapted to bear against the radial aces or walls 29 of the carrier. To hold each pair of chaser-s in'the carrier a wedge shaped block 36 is The chasers are" each other.

employed, this block being concave-convex and having sides to engage the confronting faces of the chasers. Two chasers and the wedge block 36 may be assembles and introduced longitudinally into the sectorshaped recess in the carrier, and the chascrs may then be locked in place by criving the wedge llrmly between the associated chasers.

For this purpose each carrier is provided with a threaded aperture 39 into which is introduced a screw 40, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the screw in each case being of insuiiicient length to project beyond the carrier when it is driven home. The two carriers are arranged between the segments 23 of the body so that the chasers will project forwardly and rearwardly beyond the car riers as shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 8. The

carriers are held normally in an outer inactive position by stout leaf-springs 41, 41, whose free ends areiengaged within sockets 42in the inner sides of the'chaser carriers and whose rearward fixed ends are held in dove-tailed grooves formed in the periphery of the body 20 or otherwise secured to said body. The chaser carriers are thrust toward each other by a slidable sleeve indicated at 43. This sleeve fits upon the cylindrical rearportion of the body and may be moved axially of the body by a collar indicated at 44 in a manner which will be subsequently explained. The collar 44 may itself be moved or held against movement by a yoke comprising a hub or collar 45 slidable on the supporting member 22 of the die and having arms 46 with pins 47 entering apertures 48 in the collar 44. The front end of the sleeve 43 is enlarged so as to overlap the outer ends of the chaser carriers 25, the latter being provided with cams '49, so that, when the sleevc is advanced, its. inner face will ride up over the cams and thus force the chaser carriers towards each other against the tension of the springs 41. Similarly when the sleeve is moved rearwardly, the end of the sleeve rides down the cams 49 and the springs 41 move the chaser carriers and the chasers to inactive or open position. It

desirable, however, that in addition to the relative sliding movement of the sleeve and the body, means should be provided for effecting a relatively fine adjustment of the chasers and their carriers toward and from To this end the sleeve 43 is capable of rotativeadjustment and it is provided with inner eccentric or cam faces 50, 50 for engaging faces on the cam members 49 of the carriers as shown in Figure i,

so that, by rotating the sleeve slightly anticlockwisein Figure l, the chaser ca riers u'rb qtq' it no a n 1 be ma e argue {A ONLIIG emu o nei, Ann, 3 rotating the sleeve clockwise, the chaser carriers will under the impulsion of the spii, 41 separate slight y. I provide means for effecting the rotative adyustment of the wed in par 1 threaded sockets o3 formeo in the sleeve.

inasmuch as the ring section 51 is adjustably secured to the body, it is quite evident that an appropriate and relative adjustment of the two screws 52, 52 will result in a limited rotathve movement of the sleeve relatively to the body.

The sleeve is normally under spring pres sure tending to thrust the sleeve rearwardly relatively "to the body or to thrust the body forwardly relatively to the sleeve. To accomplish this result, as well as to hold the ring segment 51 rigidly to the body, the said body is provided with parallel longitudinal diametricallyopposite grooves or recesses 54 in which are located springs 55, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The forward ends of these ngs which are ielical in form bear againstthe heads of pins 56, 56. The ends of the shanks of the pins engage transverse groov s 57 in the guide bars 27 so as to hold said guide bars against dislocation. The other ends of the springs bear against lugs or cars 58 formed on the bars or members 59. One of these bars or members is rigidly secured, by spot-welding for example, to the ring section 51, whereas the other is similarly secured to a short ring section 60 as shown in Figure 9. These bars are arranged in slots or guideways 61 which communicate with the recesses 54. By reason of this construction and arrangement, it will be observed that, since the sleeve 43 is connected rigidly but adjustably to the ring section 51 and since the bar 59 which is rigidly secured to the ring section 51 is located in the guideway 61, means thus provided by which the sleeve is guided in its longitudinal movement relatively to the body and is held against loose relative movement. Furthermore, since t c springs 55 are interposed between the lugs 58 and the head end of the body, the pressure of the springs tends to more the sleeve rearwardly or to the right in Figure 8. The two ring sections 51 and 60, together with the bars 59 to which they are secured, act as guide members in connection with the grooves in the sides of the body for guiding the relative sliding movement of the sleeve 41 and the body.

I will now explain how the operating sleeve 423 and the body are locked in either 01" two positions, that is, wither in a position nch the chasers are closed upon the work or in a position in which they are opened and inactive. The collar 44, which lill) I have previously referred to as utilized in effecting a relative movement of the operating sleeve and the body of the die, has a limited sliding movement longitudinally of the body, being arranged on the sleeve in a pcripheral groove which is greater in width than the collar. This groove is formed by a shoulder 62 on the exterior of the sleeve and by a flange which takes the form of an annular member threaded on the end of the sleeve. Preferably the collar has lateral flanges (31-, (34 which overlap the shoulder 32 and the annular member so as to prevent the access of dirt into the gr ove which may be indicated a whole at By reason of this construction, it is evident that the operating collar 44 is capable of a limited sliding movement relatively to the body and sleeve. The cnd'oi the sleeve 4-3 is provided with two diametrically-opposi1e slots or recesses indicated at 66 in wiicl are located two locking dogs 67, as shown in Figure: 3 and 4, one of these dogs being shown detached in Figure ii. The dogs are thus located between the operating col ll and the body 20, and are held agar lateral dislocation by the side walls ot the groove 66. One end of each dog bears against the operating sleeve 43 at the end cf the rercss formed therein and the other end of the dog bears against the flange or annular member 63 formed on or secured to the sleeve or against the opposite end wall oi the groove 66, but each dog capable of movement in its groove from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3 and vice versa. The sleeve 43 is positively locked in position to maintain the chasers in their closed position by two locking members 68 which may conveniently take the form of two ring segments as shown in Figure 7. These segments are arranged in a peripheral groove 69 in the body and they are normally pressed apart by springs 70, being guided in their movement by pins- Tl projecting radially from thibottom of the groove and entering sockets 72 in the ring segments. The sleeve 43 has an internal shoulder 73 (see Figures 5 and 6) with which the ring segments may engage when the operating sleeve 43 has been advancrd to its extreme forward position so to lock the sleeve against recessional movement as shown in Figure 5. The rear ends of the two dogs 67 overlap the two ring segments or locking members 68, so that, by moving the collar 44 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the right, the rear ends of the dog; will be wedged and rocked downwardly so as to depress the locking members 68 to a position where their outer or peripheral surfaces are flush with the peripheral surface oi? the body and thus disengage the lock; ing members from the ()pP'lLiiiiLj slrrve. as a result of which the sleeve may be moved yolic migzzges anot backwardly to the position shown in Figure 4. The collar 44 and the two dogs 67 are provided with cam or wedging faces by which the movement of the collar eliects the operation of the dogs.

Assuming that the operating sleeve is locked in its chaser-cl sng position as shown in l igure 3, that the chasers are in relarat the dogs (37, in pwsing under the collar, are wedged downward ty so as to compress the locking me nbers within the grooves. soon as the operating sleeve is released by the locking i-ismber 68, the con'lpression springs ide the operating sleeve rearwardl thereby permitting the chaser-moving springs ,1

:l to more the chaser barriers radia ly out wardly and disengage the chasers from the work, wherein-am the advancing movement of the die rin es, this ni-ivcnieut having he ri'vanscd by the engagen'xentol' the chasors with the work and by the relative rotation of the work and the die. The die may now be bodily withdrawn until the E r suitably spaced stop, whcrrnpon the collar 4st is arrested in its rm SitllEttl im'iveinont, and the continued nioicinent of the oprraiing sleeve 43 and the dogs 6? pei-inis the logs to rock outwardly to the {)(liii'lilll shown in Figure 3, thereby releasi g the locking member so that when the sleeve is arrested the continued movement of the die body permits finally the locking member 458 to spring ont- .vzmliy and engage the shoulders on the slecw. During the recessional movement o'! the die body, while the sleeve and the collar are held against moveu'ient, the operating outer end ot' the sleeve wedges the ('iiaser carriers radiall a' inwardly until the closers hav rez'irlmjl a closed position, whereupon the sleeve and the die body are locked together by the locking members. The springs hold thev i'perating j sleeve lirinly a ainst the locking llllf-lllllliS or ring sections 6ft as soon as the latter are forced outwardly by the springs 70.

in order to prevent across of chips, euttings and dirt. into the die body, a cap member 7i secured to the end oi the die body by screws pa ed into threaded apertures 75 in the front tacos of the segments 23, This cap has a tie e Til which overlaps fill-l inent wiih the end ol the ope ating sleeve 43.

In the construction as herein described, it will be observed that each chaser carrier is provided with a plurality of Chasers, and that these chasers together with their loching member are arranged somewhat as are the stones of an arch, the locking member constituting as it were the keystone of the arch and serving to wedge the Chasers firmly in position. Each chaser, however, is capable of independent longitudinal adjustment so that it may be accurately lo cated with reference to the other chasers. I would not consider it a departure from the invention, hmvevcr. if each pair of Chasers and their locking member were formed in a single element 310 as shown in Figure 15. The die body is hollow as pre viously explained, having; a reladivel large central pocket or recess 77. into whica the rear ends of the chasers project and which is of suflicientdimensions to permit the necessary movements and adjns nents of the chasers. The chascrs themselves proji both forwardly and rearwarijlly from the chaser carriers, By re n of tion and arrangement of the various parts of a die as herein d ribcd, the die as :1 whole is exceedingly compact and the sup porting walls of the structure lN'OllfIlit as close to the work as possible. Chasers as they become worn may be back with ease, and, as previously sta i, facility with which the indi 'idual chasers may be adjusted enables the chasers to be accurately located after grn'iding. while as I have already said I would not reg iu it as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention if each pair of chasers and its wedge member were formed in one integral part, yet I prefer to make these in three pieces as I am thcrelv-y enabled to produce a high grade chaser in which all of the surfaces, including the threaded surfaces, may be ground after hardening. It may further he pointed out that, as a result of the compact construction and arrangement of the parts, it is possible to permit the front ends of the chascrs to project forwardly from the supporting i id operating structures, as shown ior example in Figure lVhile I have described each chaser carrier as being provided with only two chascrs, it is evident that this in her of chascrs may be increased. if desired.

1 have herein referred to the dogs (37 as being locking dogs. In addition to their function of pressing the locking members or ring sections 68 into their inactive positions, these dogs also perform the function of holding the operating collar l i yieldingly in either of its two positions relatively to the operating sleeve. For example, when the dogs are in the position as shown in Figure 3, they yieldingly lock the collar 4- to the sleeve by reason of the engagement of the cam or wedging faces of the dogs and the collar, the dogs themselves being held in the position shown by the outward thrust of the locking members 68 due to their separation under the impulse of the springs 70. Again when the collar and the sleeve are in the relative position shown in Figure 4-, the outward pressure of the locking members (38 against the dogs causes the dogs to bear against the collar iel with sullicient pressure to yieldingly lock it in the position shown in this figure.

Considering the structure of the entire die burly, the sleeve slides in longitudinal guideways on the die body but is capable of controlled rotative adjustment to adjust the chaser carriers; and the chaser carriers move in guideways on the body in lines 'adial thereto.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of making; and using the same, although without altempiingto set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is 1- 1. A thread-cutting die comprising a hollow tubular b idy having radial guideways a longitudinal guideway, chasers, chaser rarriers movable in said radial guideways, an operating sleeve longitudinally movable on said body and adapted to close said chaser :arrier, said carriers and sleeve hav- 5 coacting cam faces whereby the partial rotation of said sleeve effects a radial adjustment of said carriers, a ring section located between said sleeve and said body and movable in said longitudinal guideway, and adjusting screws in said sleeve engaging oppositely disposed faces on said section for adjustably attaching said sleeve to said section, whereby said sleeve is guided in its ongitudinal movement.

2. A thread-cutting die comprising a hollow body, radially movable carriers supported by said body, chascrs on said carriers, an operating sleeve longitudinally slidable on said body, ring sections located between said sleeve and said body and attached to said sleeve, said body having longitudinally extending slots, springs located in said slots and bearing at one end a ainst body,

1 and and ears or lugs projecting from mid sections inlo said slots and en aging the other ends of said springs, whereby said springs tend to move said sleeve longitudinally of said body.

A thread-cutting die comprising a hollow body circular in cross section and having longitudinal guide 'ays and also lriving radial guideways at one end, chaser carriers movable in said radial guideways toward and from the axis of said body, a sleeve movable longitudinally on said body to actuate said carriers to closed position and held against rotation by said longitudinal guideloo ways, springs encased in said body for moving the sleeve in one direction, locking mechanism carried by the body for holding the sleeve against said movement, and means on said sleeve automatically controlling said locking mechanism to lock or unlock said sleeve.

4. A thread-cutting die comprising a hollow body circular in cross section and having longitudinal gnideways and also having radial guideways at one end, chaser carriers movable in said radial. gnideways tu'fi'lli'd and from the axis oi? said body, a slveVC mov able longitudinally on said body to actuate said carriers to closed position and held against rotation by said l0llIlilldiHiil guide- Ways, springs encased in said body for moving the sleeve in one direction, locking mechanism carried by the body for holding the sleeve against said movement, means for disengaging said locking mechanism from said sleeve to permit said movement, and springs on said body and within said sleeve for moving said chaser carriers to open position when sa d sleeve is in an inactive position.

5. A revolving automatically-opening die, adapted to be fed along the Work by engagement of the chisers With the Work, comprising a body, radially movable chaser carriers, chasers on said carriers, springs tending to move said carriers to open position, a sliding sleeve on said body in Wedging relacarriers, yielding means tending t-ion to s2: '1 to move said sleeve to inactive position and permit the carriers to move to open position, locking mechanism for positively looking said sleeve to the body to hold it in active carrierwlwing position, a collar slidable on said sleeve, and means by which movement oi said sleeve relatively to said collar, When said collar is held against movement, con trois the locking or unlocking operation of said locking mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JAMES HARTNESS. 

